Zuko and Azula
by DelightfullyDevious
Summary: The siblings begin their firebending training. Only children, these are the days that will shape their future.
1. The Beginning

"Calm down, Zuko!" The woman reproached her son.

The boy ignored her. He leapt into a kick and threw a couple of punches in for good measure. His landing off balance, he made another hop and used the airtime to deliver a few more kicks to his imaginary opponents.

"For goodness sake! You'll hurt yourself if you keep that up!"

"Hurt myself?" Zuko looked up at his mother, halting his amateur acrobatics, "More like I'm going to be doing the hurting!" He gave a short laugh and thrust his fist forward. "I've been waiting for this forever, mother! Firebending training!"

Ursa sighed as her son pressed on his invisible foe. "Yes, yes... but if you keep this up, you'll be late for your lesson. And Sifu Yemen does not like to be kept waiting."

Zuko finished off his nonexistent foe with a wide chop to the neck. "Well..." He began to resume a more normal walk, "I wouldn't want to upset Sifu Yemen on the first day of my training, right?" Zuko grinned as he looked up at his mother.

That was all it took for her to smile back.

The boy wiped at the sweat that had started to collect at the top of his head and marched proudly on until...

"Zuzu~!"

Oh no... Zuko couldn't help but roll his eyes. His sister bounded over to him and tugged at his tunic, "Zuzu~! You're going to your training? I wanna come!"

"No!" He responded quickly, he knew the moment she called his name what she wanted. Every time he had talked about his training her eyes had lit up and she'd start asking all sorts of stupid questions. But now it was time to set things straight with her. "Training is only when you're old enough!" Zuko said flatly, "I begged Dad all the time, but he made me wait till I was six and you're only four!"

"Awww, come on! Just let me watch!" She whined. Zuko scowled at that, the girl never took no for an answer. And sooner or later Mom or Dad would get her whatever she wanted.

"Why not, Zuko?" His mother butted in just as Zuko knew she would, "There's no reason to not let Azula watch."

His eyes flared, knowing the injustice his mother was about to propose. "N... no!" Zuko stomped his feet, jabbing a finger at his six year old sister, "When I was her age Dad wouldn't let me go to any of his training sessions! Why should she get to go to one now!"

It was always the same, Zuko thought as he squirmed. His mother was staring at him, nearly expressionless. Nearly. Her lips pursed into a thin line, her eyes stayed on him silently. It was like every piercing gaze from the Firelord paintings in the main hall put into one and Zuko started to feel the heat of panic rise in his throat.

He cracked, like he always did.

"Fine! I'm sorry, Mom! She can come!"

"Good," Ursa broke into a small smile, "Now tell that to your sister. And apologize to her."

He gasped at the unfairness of it all, his eyes pleading with her, but her stare's intensity resumed and he let up instantly. "I'msorryyoucancome..." The boy mumbled.

"Louder, Zuko."

"I'm sorry, you can come, Azula!"

"Yay!" The little girl hugged her brother's waist and let her legs hang as she leaned on him. "Thanks, you're the best, Zuzu~!"

"Stop calling me that!" The boy shouted as he tried to push away his younger sister.

Ursa couldn't help but laugh a little. "Better hurry up, Zuko, you'll be late."

"Get off me!" Zuko finally managed to peel the girl away and he started to dash down the hall, "It's your fault if I'm late!"

"Wait up, Zuzu," Azula cried out as she took off after him.

The siblings turned a corner and slipped out of sight, Ursa smiled as she watched them go.

* * *

"Breathe... Zuko."

"I am."

Sifu Yemen immediately slapped the boy's back with the wooden sword. "No!" He moved in front of him and held a hand at his chest. "Breathe! Feel the power flowing IN and flowing OUT. Breathe! This is your chi, there can be no firebending if you do not even understand this much. You must feel the power!"

His back aching, he reached to rub it, but Sifu Yemen was too fast. The wooden sword came down sharply, striking the boy's hand and pulling back instantly just short of serious injury.

"Accept the pain! Let it focus you! Use the pain to fuel the power."

Zuko winced as he felt the knots twisting in his back, but he closed his eyes anyways. He tried to imagine it, the power flowing in and then flowing out. In and out... like the ocean's tide, the huge waves crashing against the beach and then gently rolling away...

"NO!" Sifu Yemen struck again, Zuko's back arched as the wooden sword landed there, "I can see it in your face! In your posture. You are relaxing! This is not meditation, this is firebending!"

"I'm sorry, Sifu Yemen..." The boy said through clenched teeth.

"Hm..." The master looked at the boy for a moment. "Alright, let's see if this will help you focus." He reached into his pocket and produced a candle. With a flick of a hand he set the top aflame and set it down before the young noble. "Look at the fire. Watch it. See how it flickers?"

Zuko nodded, unwilling to break the silence of his focus.

"That is the power within you. Take hold of it! In and out! Make it match your will."

The candlelight swung erratically, disturbed by every passing breeze. It would jump up for a moment and then peel away almost immediately. Zuko watched every movement of the light, he breathed in and slowly, but steadily let it out. Depending on the way the wind blew, the fire would either shrink or rise. When a gust came sharp and hard the flame withered, but when a breeze rolled in wide and slow the flame strengthened. He breathed in and out. Breathe quickly and then out slowly. Again, he breathed in and this time the fire shortened by a half-centimeter, he breathed out and the candle's flame jumped up to twice its length. He breathed in and out, in and out and the flame drew low then high, low then high.

It didn't take long for the candle to melt away and Zuko felt the gentle tap of Sifu Yemen's wooden blade on his shoulder.

"Be here tomorrow, same time."

"Yes, Sifu Yemen!" The boy wanted to jump in the air, but he knew that Sifu Yemen would disapprove. Instead, Zuko bowed so low there was no way Yemen could see the boy's face.

But the master returned the smile he knew was there.

The smile vanished at the sound and light - by Agni, the light! - of an explosion. Yemen dropped into a firebending stance so quickly and smoothly, it was as if he had been standing that way the entire time. The firebending master pivoted to face the sudden wave of heat, but all he saw were the remaining wisps of a fireball that had just burst into existence and then vanished.

Through the floating embers though, he saw the girl at the center of it. Azula. The four year old sitting with her knees underneath her and her eyes closed. She seemed unaware of Yemen's sudden reaction and breathed in, her nostrils flaring as she puffed out her tiny chest. Then her mouth opened and out came her breath a thousand times heavier than Zuko's had been and just as before the room was filled with the rush of fire. Light bounced all around the room as the flames grew from the girl's breath. The gout of fire stretched out, twisting up to resist gravity and then just as quickly as it had arrived, it ended. Only a few sparks remained, floating in the air before they too disappeared.

Yemen's mouth had hung open despite all the training and discipline. His breath leaked out as he gaped dumbfounded. The girl started to breathe again, but this time Yemen was prepared. He shut his mouth and closed the distance between himself and the girl in a single bound. The girl had finished breathing in, but before she could gather herself he clapped his hands against her shoulders and shouted with all his might, "STOP!"

Harmlessly, she breathed out, only air passing her lips. Azula's eyes blinked open, golden circles peered up at the man. "Yes, what is it Sifu Yemen?"

Yemen did not let go of the girl nor did he move his face away from hers. He kept his gaze steady with the child and she innocently stared back. He held that stare for a long time before he let her go and he stood back up.

"Very well then," Yemen finally mustered, "Azula, you shall accompany Zuko to the next training session tomorrow. Bring more suitable clothes."

"For what, Sifu Yemen?" Azula asked, her head tilting ever so slightly.

The master had already turned away, but he answered anyways, "Firebending training, of course."

Again, Sifu Yemen could not see his new pupil's face, but he knew the grin that was there. A chill struck the firebender, his hardened skin prickled at it and for some reason he couldn't return the smile this time.

He shook the feeling off and left.

* * *

_Author's Note: I never thought I'd be writing fanfiction again, but here I am. I wanted to explore Zuko and Azula's relationship, not AFTER it completely it fell apart and not BEFORE when it was all cheery and fun (although, I certainly don't think that lasted very long). But during. Hence the chapter's title.  
_


	2. Mother and Father

It was a fluke. Zuko punched the wall and immediately regretted it. It was a fluke, he told himself and he gritted his teeth, the pain welling in his fist as he held it to his chest as if he could protect it from the throbbing. It was a fluke, total luck, nothing more than that. He was bigger. He was stronger and smarter and older. She just got lucky, that was all.

It was a fluke.

He tried to open his fist, but the pulse intensified right then and he quickly clenched it again. A red half-circle had started to swell at his knuckle like an apple. He cursed himself then and tried to open his hand again. His arm refused to respond and the hand squeezed shut again.

Zuko hoped it wouldn't still be there tomorrow. He hoped Azula wouldn't still be there tomorrow.

He bit down hard as his sister resurfaced in his mind. Why couldn't she have just stayed with Mom? Why'd Mom let her come to MY firebending training! It wasn't fair, it just wasn't. This time he forced open his hand. He gasped as he peeled back the fingers and held his injured hand out. The swell didn't look so bad now. Smaller, even. His hand was shaking though. It simply wouldn't stop no matter how he willed it to. He cursed himself, was this how a warrior was supposed to be?

Was this how an older brother was supposed to be?

The boy wanted to swing his fist again, but wisely held back. He'd get one of the physicians to look at his hand. He'd make them swear to not tell his mother or anyone else and he'd go to firebending training the next day and then he'd show Sifu Yemen who the real firebender was.

Zuko tried to picture the look of awe on Azula's face when he would punch out huge streams of fire and it made him smile.

There was a knock at the door. "Zuko, are you in there? I saw you ran right in after your lesson. Did something happen?"

Mother. Zuko looked at his hand and swore he could've seen the bump move. "Uh... no. Nothing happened. Besides firebending, of course!" He yelled back.

There was a pause and Zuko hoped that answer had satisfied her.

"Are you lying to me, Zuko?"

Every muscle in his body pulled back, nothing wanted to move. Perhaps if I act quiet enough, she'll think I didn't hear her. Maybe she'll go away.

"Open the door and let's talk, Zuko."

He couldn't feel the rest of his body. Surely she would accept that as a valid excuse as to why he didn't open the door. He certainly didn't feel the pounding swell in his fist, either. His body had been temporarily paralyzed, sorry Mom.

"I won't ask again, Zuko."

The words struck the boy immediately and reeled him in like a fish caught on the hook. A strange mixture of guilt and fear rained down on him. Guilt that he was lying and she had so easily caught him in it, fear of what she would say, fear of more guilt. Dragging his feet, but never really having any say in the matter, he opened the door.

Ursa flung her arms around the boy's head and pulled him in towards her. She held him there and she smelled like lilies and dewy grass. Her hair draped over him. He buried his head into her and felt her warmth, heard the steady beat of her heart.

"You had me worried there for a bit." She gave him a little squeeze.

"Sorry." Zuko muttered.

Ursa gently let go of the boy, making enough space for her to comfortably look down at him. She smiled, "Mind telling me what's wrong?"

He looked down just as she did. "Do I have to?"

It took her a moment to answer, but when she did she sighed. "No, I suppose not, but it might make you feel better."

"I don't think it will." The boy replied, still keeping his head down.

She smiled weakly, "Well, if you ever change your mind, you can."

He wouldn't. He couldn't. Not anything, not about Sifu Yemen, not about his sister, not about his hand. As much as he wanted to sob into her robes, make them wet with his tears and moan about all the unfairness in the world, he couldn't. Because she'd take away his one chance to redeem himself. "Okay." Zuko muttered neutrally.

The boy still wouldn't meet her eyes because he knew that if he did that sickening wave of guilt and fear would strike again. Ursa noted the boy's avoidance with a frown. "Do you want me to leave, Zuko?"

No, the boy wanted to say, but his fist was still red, he could tell from the thumping that ran through his arm to his teeth. It was wrapped along with his other hand around her, the sudden hug had surprised him, but it had helped in more ways than one. For a moment, he considered telling her he had tripped and hit his hand. His mother would forbid him from training then. He wouldn't have to be there in the same room as his sister, then. Sifu Yemen would understand and Zuko would look so sad when the master told him to get well soon.

But I'm no coward, he thought.

"Yes." Zuko finally said, "Yes, please. I'll come to you if I need anything."

"Okay, Zuko." She hugged him again, "Thank you for opening the door."

Ursa looked at her child and saw the boy's eyes. He was still young, so young, but he was so stubborn. There was no reasoning with those eyes. She sighed and left.

Zuko watched her go, made sure she had really left and then headed to the royal physician.

* * *

There was a knock at the door and Azula looked up from her breathing exercise.

"Azula?"

Immediately the girl got up and opened the door.

"How was your brother's firebending lesson?"

"It was fun, father."

Ozai smiled at that. He strode into the room and sat at the foot of the bed, patting the spot next to him and Azula took her seat there.

"So you managed to attach yourself to Zuko's lesson."

Azula nodded.

"You only wanted to watch you said." Ozai's smile grew larger.

She wished her father would get to the point, but Azula nodded anyways. Her face the perfect image of rapt attention. He had an air for the dramatic, even as a child she understood that. He liked to build up to things like that, why he couldn't just get to the point, the girl didn't know. But Azula humored him.

"Tell me, Azula," The father placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder, though he did not pull her closer, "How did it feel to firebend for the first time?"

There it was. The point. Was it a test? Of course, it was, everything was a test with Father. Should she lie? Never lie to me, her father had commanded her the moment she had begun to properly speak. Never. She had agreed and she didn't know it then, but that had been her first lie. The man was best kept happy after all he could provide so much when he was. So what did her father want from her? He himself was an accomplished firebender, one of the very best in the nation, in fact. But the man had never divulged what firebending made him feel like, she rarely saw him at all. He was always off on business matters and when she did see him it was to observe from afar or make cryptic comments. Again, the melodrama her father employed sickened her. But he was useful, so she smiled at him innocently, ever the cute four year old.

"It felt like..." Something vague, Azula decided, something they'd put up on the posters to inspire, "Strength. The power to do anything. Like there was nothing that could get in my way."

It was a half-truth, she had felt the power flowing through her body right then. She felt it and for a moment she had trembled, it was huge. A twisting inferno that cackled as she touched it for the first time in her life. But it did not feel just empowering, it was enlightening. It was the answer to everything. Power. Nothing could compare with it. All the elegant arguments and facts and reasons all crumbled before power. It was power that really mattered.

"Oh?" Ozai said, an eyebrow raised, "Anything, you say? Perhaps." The man pulled his daughter closer till her head rested on his chest. A satisfactory answer then, Azula smiled. "But my dear, you are not all-powerful." The girl's smile disappeared. "Because I exist and I would certainly not let you do whatever you wanted." Suddenly Ozai gripped Azula's shoulder like an iron claw and the girl gasped. She tried to squirm out of it, arms and legs swinging, not sure if they wanted to fight back or run away, but Ozai only clamped down harder. She gave a little cry as the pain pierced her and spread like a disease till her whole body felt crippled and the thrashing stopped. And just as quickly as it had come, his hand loosened and the man was holding his daughter lovingly against him again. "Keep this in mind, Azula. Firebending is only violence, nothing else. And violence is the second and weaker method to getting what you want.."

The little girl was shaking, every cell told her to run away, but her body was already exhausted and to her shame she leaned on her father. Her head against his chest, she could feel the tight muscles that had just been working, she tried not to imagine what else they could do There was no escaping and she knew her father wanted her to ask the obvious question. The flair for dramatics again, she cursed him as her shoulder ached, but aloud she responded as the dutiful daughter though it was more strained then usual. "What's the other way?"

Ozai turned to look at his daughter and smiled, "That's for another time, my dear Azula."

Pig-rat, she thought.

Ozai stood up and made for the door. "Ah, one more thing, Azula." He stopped, turning around slightly.

"Yes, father?" She resisted rubbing her shoulder. If he was going to pretend like he hadn't done anything, so was she.

"We'll be having dinner in an hour. Before that, go to the physician, tell him nothing of this incident, but have him examine you. You should only have some bruising, but better safe than sorry." The man stared at his daughter as if they were discussing the weather. "Do not tell your mother, your brother or anyone else, understand?"

I hate you. "Yes, I understand, father."

The man smiled as if he could read her mind. "You really are my daughter, Azula. You'll come to see that."

Before she could decipher what he meant, Ozai had walked out.

The pain was still fresh as she made her way to the physician, but it served as good fuel as Azula imagined her father roasting in a fire.

* * *

_Author's Note: Jeez Louise. That's one messed up family. Of course, people will probably get upset at me when I say this, but I do believe that some people are just born the way they are. Not completely of course, nature determines our core, nurture shapes everything else. And at their core, Zuko and Azula will always be the same. It's the nurture that's really interesting._


End file.
